9 more COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, 6 discharged

PUTRAJAYA: Nine new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported on Thursday (Mar 12), bringing the total in the country to 158, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

He said six more cases had recovered, raising to 32 the number who have been discharged from hospital.

“At the moment, three cases are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit and require breathing aid, and they are in stable condition,” he said in a statement.

He said the Health Ministry took note of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) statement that COVID-19 had spread to 114 countries and had reached pandemic level.

READ: WHO’s Tedros urges world to ‘double down’ on COVID-19 pandemic

WHO has declared COVID-19 as pandemic based on its rapid spread in many places outside of China, where the virus first surfaced in December last year. 

“WHO has also said that prevention and control measures being taken now are still relevant and proposed that they be intensified.

“With the announcement by WHO, the ministry will continue to ensure that COVID-19 control and prevention measures which have been implemented will be reviewed according to the current situation in the country and be stepped up,” he added.

READ: 2 Singaporeans who attended religious event in Malaysia diagnosed with COVID-19; MUIS closes mosques and suspends Friday prayers

READ: COVID-19: Malaysian religious affairs minister says no need to suspend Friday prayers

Dr Noor Hisham said Malaysia has not detected any sporadic cases of COVID-19.

He said earlier reports saying Case 131 was sporadic were wrong because further investigations by the ministry found that the patient was a participant of the tabligh assembly held at Masjid Seri Petaling from Feb 27 to Mar 1.

Dr Noor Hisham also said the ministry was prepared to disclose the number of COVID-19 positive cases according to states.

“Let us do the analysis first … (It) can be revealed. I don’t think states got much issue (because we reveal the name of) public hospitals (which have positive COVID-19 cases). I think let us do the analysis before we reveal,” he said, adding that the majority of cases from the second wave were in the Klang Valley.

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